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Photograph by: NICK PROCAYLO
, PNG

Downtown Vancouver was a blur of wheels, helmets and neon spandex early Saturday morning as thousands of cyclists rolled down Georgia Street on their way up to Whistler for the RBC GranFondo.

The first woman across the finish line was Leah Guloien, of Port Moody, with a time of 3:23:48, and the first male finisher was William Routley of Whistler at 3:21:11.

Around 6 a.m., at the start line, light rain fell on the more than 4,000 riders, stretching and getting pumped up for the 122-kilometre race and steep climb up the Sea to Sky Highway.

Local couple Ray and Sharon Markham were excited for their first GranFondo, but both admitted to being a little nervous about the 1,700 metre climb past Lions Bay.

At 81 and 71 years old respectively, both Ray and Sharon were some of the oldest racers in Saturday’s event, but the sprightly pair appeared to have the energy and exuberance of 20 year olds.

Ray joked that his only challenge in the race was that there was no over 80 category.

“They only have over 70,” he said, laughing. “I think there should be an over 80 so I know where my competition is.”

Neither have raced before but they wanted to prepare for a 2,100-kilometre cycling trip they are taking next week with a tour group in China, where they will face many steep climbs.

“We’d like to know if we can do it,” said Sharon, adding that they’ve been working with a trainer Jason Bond of Bond Training in Vancouver for about three months to prepare for the trip.

They aren’t new to the sport though and both share a passion for bikes. Ray said every summer they pack up their gear and go somewhere in the world for a cycling trip.

“My challenge is just to finish ... I’m thinking maybe seven hours. I’d be very happy with that.” said Ray. Added Sharon: “I’m hoping for six hours. We’re a bit nervous. I don’t think either of us slept much last night.”

Shortly before the gun shot signalling the start of the race, John Weston, MP for West Vancouver — Sunshine Coast — Sea to Sky Country, wished the riders good luck.

“No matter what your level today, I ask you to think about one thing as you cross that beautiful Lions Gate Bridge and pedal through the most beautiful place on Earth. Think of yourself as a role model. Think of one or two friends you can invite to get off their sofas and onto their bicycles,” said Weston, who was also riding in the race.

At 6:45 a.m., the riders were off, racing down Georgia Street towards the Lions Gate Bridge. The bridge was closed to traffic early Saturday, as the cyclists headed over to the North Shore and up Taylor Way to the highway, however it reopened at 8 a.m. There were lengthy travel delays expected on the Sea to Sky Highway, and organizers were advising motorists to plan for an extra hour-and-a-half driving time between Vancouver and Whistler.

Josh Quarles, visiting Vancouver from Helena Montana, was celebrating his 40th birthday Saturday by riding his first GranFondo, with hopes of crossing the finish line in four hours.

“I’m really looking forward to the climb. I love climbing,” he said.

Although he only started riding three years ago, Quarles said he takes it really seriously. “I’m a bit obsessive,” he said, laughing.

For Quarles, the GranFondo is like the marathon for the avid cyclist, with participants competing more against themselves and their own time than with other cyclists.

“This is more personal timed racing instead of against other racers. It’s just a timing issue and not then this way people can talk it serious or just have fun.”

After the race, he planned to spend the rest of his birthday with his wife and daughter taking in the sites of Whistler.

There aren’t too many hills to train on for such a steep climb in Saskatoon, but that didn’t stop Peter Steckhan and his wife of 16 years Dana Muma from packing up their clips and heading to Vancouver for the GranFondo.

Steckhan had signed up for a contest in August to win an entry to the GranFondo when he bought a rack for his car and won. Both Steckhan and Muma are experienced endurance athletes so they were thrilled for the chance to ride in their first GranFondo.

Muma said she usually does triathlons, and the couple has been in bike races all over the world, but she thought the climb might be a bit tricky.

“We’re from Saskatoon so it’s pretty flat, but I think once we get past Squamish it is going to be all uphill, so it will be a challenge. But there are stops and I think that it will be fun.”

Asked how they train for hill climbs, Stechan said: “We just ride. The headwinds in Saskatchewan are almost the equivalent of a hill,” he said laughing.

At 16 years old, Finn Blackborn from Deep Cove was one of the younger riders in the GranFondo. He said he started racing when he was just 13 years old and was planning for a time of three hours and thirty minutes.

New to the event this year are two timed segments. The first is a 1.7-kilometre hill climb up Furry Creek Hill and the other is a 500-metre sprint section through Squamish.

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